The Lord of the Curses
by Fangorn
Summary: Ranma 1/2 and LotR fusion - Ranma's crew does LotR! Can Kho Lon the Grey guide Ryouga to the Cracks of Doom? Will Ranma reclaim the throne of Arnor and Gondor?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, their characters and concepts belong to Rumiko Takahashi and those enterprises to whom she has given publishing rights. The Lord of the Rings, their characters and concepts belong to Tolkien Estate and those enterprises to whom such rights were given. This work does not intend to infringe upon those rights, nor is it intended to commercial use. 

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Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,

Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,

Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,

One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne

In the Land of Mordor where Shadows lie.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them

One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In the Land of Mordor where Shadows lie.

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The Lord of the Curses

Prologue

Third Age, 1974

The Witch-king of Angmar stood before the broken gates of Fornost, the North-City, Capital of the last kingdom of the Dúnedain of Arnor. The king fled to the north, where he would meet his doom at the raging, frozen sea; his children escaped over the Lune, along with many other survivors of the Dúnedain. But the realm of Arnor was no more.

The seeds of discontentment long planted among the Dúnedain have borne fruits, and the once great kingdom was divided in three, among the sons of Eärendur, for the hearts of men are often captured by the lure of power and many gave heed to such words, whispered quietly with great cunning by the servants of the enemy.

Three realms were formed: Arthedain, Rhudaur and Cardolan, and their constant struggle weakened them. Rhudaur was the first to fall and Hillmen, allied to the hosts of Angmar, took the power and, alongside the Witch-king, fought against Arthedain and Cardolan, but they were defeated, for the Dúnedain counted with the aid of the elven people of Lindon. 

Cardolan fell fifty years later, unable to defend itself against the hordes of the north, and the great tower Amon Sûl, built at the Weathertop, was destroyed. With the aid of Círdan and the forces of Lindon and Lórien, the kingdom of Arthedain withstood the siege of Fornost and drove off the forces of the Witch-king.

Peace held for more than 500 years. 

However, in the year of 1974 of the Third Age, the power of Angmar rose once again and it came down upon Arthedain with a strength not before seen. The realm of Arthedain was ravaged, its Capital burnt and razed by the captain of the Ringwraiths, before aid could be brought from Gondor and from the elves.

The final destruction of Arnor was not enough to satisfy Sauron, who decided to curse the very land where the Dúnedain held their last stand, using his most trusted and powerful servant to deliver the vengeance long contrived in his mind. 

From the top of the protective walls the Witch-king unleashed the accursed water prepared by his master and it fell, like a sudden rain, in the valley that surrounded the burning city. Each drop enough to torment the land and create a terrible spring and from that moment on, should elf, man or beast drown in them they would become cursed.

Terrible it was, for it changed the body of any person who bathed in them, to the shape of the creature who there drowned. Hot water could be used to return the afflicted being to its true from, but cold water would once again activate the curse.

Imlad in Eithelath Rhechennin was it named, Valley of the Cursed Springs, but the fallen city was avoided by all, save the bravest and the foolest and soon the true horror of Sauron's curse was shrouded in mystery.

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Author's notes: Along with many other Ranma 1/2 fan fiction writers, I started as a fan who could not get enough with the Manga and the Anime and decided to check out the universe of fan fiction, in which I was quickly ensnared. The next step in my obsession was to write a piece of fan fiction of my own, and I decided to do so. I was both surprised and relieved that a Ranma 1/2 and LotR fusion has never been tried before, because it's much easier to write about something you know well. The idea came to me in a specially idle afternoon in the office, with a tentative cast of which Ranma character would suit better to play a LotR role and the number of excellent matches surprised me. Convinced it could work, I started this story. I really hope you'll enjoy it! And please point out any grammar or spelling errors I may commit, for English is but my third language. 

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Special thanks to:

Maggie Gamgee, my pre-reader, editor and friend, for all the support regarding this fanfic;

Krista Perry, for binding me in the world of Ranma 1/2 fan fiction.

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V. 1.2 (13-II-2003)

By Fangorn (fangorn_ff@terra.com.br)


	2. A Long Expected Party

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, their characters and concepts belong to Rumiko Takahashi and those enterprises to whom she has given publishing rights. The Lord of the Rings, their characters and concepts belong to Tolkien Estate and those enterprises to whom such rights were given. This work does not intend to infringe upon those rights, nor is it intended to commercial use. 

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The Lord of the Curses

Chapter 1

A Long Expected Party

Ryouga was lost.

Not that the fact was surprising, not at all, for it happened all too often with the poor hobbit. 

Surprising was how agitated and nervous he seemed to be. Ryouga was used to his complete lack of any sense of direction that ran like a curse in the blood of his family.

But this time it was different, because unless he could find his way back to Bag End and quickly, he would miss his own Birthday party and much worse, his uncle's Birthday party. 

Ryouga would never forgive himself for missing his uncle's eleventy-first anniversary, a special age for hobbits, and for which a magnificent party was being prepared. He knew almost all Hobbiton would be invited, along with many other hobbits from more distant places. Missing his third-three anniversary, the date of his 'coming of age', was a much smaller concern in his mind.

He was immensely fond of Bilbo, who adopted him after the death of his parents. They shared many traits, the birthday being only one of them. The old hobbit delighted himself with old tales and with news from the distant places he had visited before, and Ryouga was always eager to hear them. Bilbo also suffered from the same navigational problems that plagued him, even a stronger version, perhaps, because he never wandered off the Shire, unlike his uncle. 

Except for one time, one dreadful time, when he ended in front of a ruined city, with many odd looking springs all around the fallen stone buildings...

Ryouga tried to control his anger and the felling of despair that threatened to take over his mind. Unclenching his teeth and opening his trembling hands, he observed his knuckles regain their natural colour. 

'I can't be that off from Bag End,' thought Ryouga, concentrated again in his task to reach home. 'Perhaps I'll find a landmark after that hill.'

Fate wasn't so merciful with the lost boy, but he did find a road in the bottom of the hill. Seeking cover under the shadow of a nearby tree, Ryouga decided to wait someone pass to ask for directions. With the information his chances of going in the right direction were slightly better than going up or down the road on his own.

'Bilbo would be around the Ettenmors, or perhaps in the Blue Mountains, if he was lost for the same time I am now,' guessed Ryouga, with a small smile in his face. His uncle's luck was indeed incredible – not once was he seriously harmed in his wandering through an increasingly dangerous Middle-earth. Going back and forth in the Shire was much safer and nicer, specially if you overlook the many times Ryouga found himself wandering in the middle of the old Maggot's farm. He firmly believed Ryouga was after his famous mushrooms and nothing could convince him the boy was just lost, and it meant that Ryouga would have to out-run the farmer's dogs to save his hide. Ryouga didn't even blamed the old hobbit, because he showed up quite frequently in his mushroom fields.

'Give him an extra month or two to be lost and he might even reach the Lonely Mountain,' chuckled Ryouga. 'Ah, the Lonely Mountain, how I would like to visit the dwarven halls,' he wished. In his heart he knew that sooner or later he would be travelling all around Middle-earth, just like his Uncle, and he didn't think it would be a bad thing. The fact that he didn't really have any choices on the subject has lessened considerably his worries about leaving his beloved Shire behind. A part of his mind, the curious and adventurous one, commanded him to embrace his curse, and the other, the conservative and homely one, bade him to resist it, as long as he could.

The Sun was already in the descendent course toward the horizon and the road was still empty. Fearing that this might be one of the less used paths through the Shire and that both ends of it wouldn't bring him any closer to Bag End, Ryouga decided to start walking once again. Picking up his back and his now inseparable umbrella, he was ready to resume his march when he heard a cart or waggon coming down the road.

Turning his head and expecting a known face, Ryouga gasped in surprise – a well known face was indeed riding the waggon.

"Kho Lon!" yelled the hobbit, sprinting in the waggon's direction. 

The wizened wizard stopped the waggon to allow the hobbit to join her. "Oh, child. Don't tell me – you need a ride home," she smirked, "you could have lost your uncle's birthday and yours as well, you know." Blushing and trying desperately to find something else to talk about, Ryouga pointed to the numerous boxes of all kinds and shapes that bulked the waggon and asked, "Are these...?"

"Yes, yes," answered Kho Lon, "fireworks for the party." 

This was enough to make the boy show all his teeth in a huge smile. 'Fireworks!' he thought 'I have never seen fireworks before! All this time I was thinking Bilbo was just teasing me!' 

Ryouga was now in a really good mood. Not only he managed to find a guaranteed way to be back to Bag End in time for the party, he would also have a great opportunity to talk to Kho Lon the Grey. She was very same wizard that took his uncle to his most important adventure across Middle-earth and back again, with a fair share of wealth. Many times he has heard this tale from Bilbo who was now writing it down. It was a pity no one believed him when he said he decided to join the dwarves willingly. The version that Bilbo just got lost and found himself in the middle of a dragon's hoard was the preferred one among many that circulated in the inns of the Shire. But the gold he obtained none argued about.

Now actually getting news or answers from the venerable looking wizard was as hard as stealing treasure from a dragon under his nose and Ryouga didn't have an invisibility ring with him. Convincing her to teach him a new technique or move was even harder, but Ryouga would at least probe her to find out she was more open than usual. Since his early years Ryouga showed an unusual interest in the Art for a hobbit and he was having troubles find other hobbits that could teach him something new or otherwise help him to improve. It didn't bothered him many found his obsession very queer and even unnatural – the Shire was quite peaceful and martial artists were seldom needed. But Ryouga knew that he would be leaving this region, voluntarily or not, and he should be ready. He didn't understand how such withered body could possess so much energy and strength, but Kho Lon was by far the best martial artist he knew and she was his best chance to advance in the Art.

She was also his best hope of recovering from a certain... condition... he'd acquired in his first time outside the Shire. Only her managed to throw some light in his problem, having some little knowledge about what was affecting him.

"Kho Lon, do you have any news regarding... that problem? Anything that could help me?" asked the boy as the waggon slowly climbed a large hill, with much hope in his voice. This incident happened only three months ago and it was nothing short from a small miracle that Kho Lon was visiting his uncle when he arrived home.

"You mean you still haven't gathered enough courage to ask the daughter of your uncle's gardener out? There isn't much I can do to help you, I'm afraid. Her name's Akari, right?" was her answer. Muttering some unintelligible words, Ryouga blushed violently. Kho Lon enjoyed teasing the shy boy and the particularly bright shade of red he was displaying was proof enough she outdid herself this time. 

"Ah, you meant your other problem... I fear that I wasn't able to find a possible cure for you. But do not despair! I have yet to talk with the master of Rivendell about your situation. He knows much about ancient lore and he's probably our best hope on the matter."

The words were lost to Ryouga, however. Akari was the only thing that occupied his mind in the moment. 'Sweet, sweet Akari, how can I ask her out in my current state?' wondered Ryouga as he received a blow in his head that snapped him back to reality, before depression could get the best of him. Kho Lon's staff was as ready as ever, it seems.

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you, boy!" warned the wizard, moving her staff around the boy's skull, "You can daydream about your girlfriend later!" 

"I'm sorry, Kho Lon. Could you please repeat it?"

Ryouga sighed as he heard the bad news. Lowering his head, he decided to concentrate his attention in the very interesting planks of wood on the waggon's floor. 

Kho Lon sighed, too. She really wanted to help the boy, but there might be no cure for him. 'At least anger isn't dominating him now,' mused Kho Lon, 'I wonder if I should tell him about the person who threw him in that cursed spring.' Now there was no doubt about it, he went all the way to the fallen city of Fornost and to the Valley of the Cursed Springs. Kho Lon herself has only heard rumours of this place in old tales, the details she needed might well have passed beyond all knowledge. She knew how to revert the boy to his natural form, tough – an incredible simple solution for an otherwise inexpugnable enigma – and her presence in Bilbo's house that day might have prevented the hobbit from taking harsher actions.

At first she has dismissed the boy's story about how a redheaded elven girl pursuing a large bear has knocked him into a spring. Bears in this side of the Misty Mountains were very rare, and redheaded elves were completely unheard of. And why would an elf be pursuing a bear? He was adamant about the elven girl - 'I saw her ears,' claimed the now cursed boy, 'only an elf could have such ears'. She concluded the boy had suffered some traumatic shock and had imagined it all.

Only when a pair of rangers, father and son, the leaders of the remaining Dúnedain of the north in fact, had consulted her in the Prancing Pony Inn about a peculiar and similar problem has Kho Lon realized that the boy wasn't delirious in his recount of the events. 

Unfortunately, this unexpected discovery couldn't help the depressed boy sitting by her side in any way. In fact, providing him with someone to blame over the tragic accident that took place that day could prove to be very counterproductive and so Kho Lon decided not to tell him about the elf girl - in truth a male Dúnedan, for the time being.

Trying to bring the boy out of his depression, Kho Lon started to chant, in a lower than habitual voice, an old elvish song she greatly enjoyed, the tale of Eärendil.

Ryouga didn't even tried to understand the song with his limited knowledge of the language, choosing rather to lose himself in the beautiful melody he was hearing. Raising his head, he began to appreciate the countryside in the afternoon that was about to end.

"Thanks Kho Lon, I needed that." 

"Indeed, my boy, indeed. You shouldn't lose hope, not so soon, at least. And even if the worst come to pass, I think you'll manage to live with it."

Ryouga doubted it, but he kept the thought to himself.

---

As the wizard's waggon approached its destination, a good number of hobbit-children started following it and begging Kho Lon for some crackers. It was obvious Ryouga wasn't the only one that heard the rumour regarding the fireworks and the presence of the old wizard cast any doubts out the minds of the little ones. The children were really wearing her patience thin by the second and Ryouga was trying to contain himself. He knew he shouldn't laugh, but it was hard.

"So they want some fireworks, I think I'll give them something," smirked Kho Lon. "Yes, I do have something special!"

Waving her staff, a blue fountain erupted in the ground just behind the wagon and in front of the children, who cried in delight. Then numerous scintillating blue snakes, writhing and whistling, began to pour out the fountain and chase their little furred feet. The surprised hobbits scattered quickly, yelling and jumping, trying to avoid the snakes.

"Hum, I thought they would be happy to see my new serpent fireworks," said Kho Lon. 

It was too much to Ryouga, who burst out laughing. Kho Lon kept a straight face, but it soon cracked and she started to cackle as well.

The waggon was already in Bagshot Row, and after a smooth curve it stopped in front of the Bag End's frontal gate. Bilbo was there, with an anxious expression in his face.

"Kho Lon! You've arrived! And you've found Ryouga! Bless you, my old friend, bless you!" said the old hobbit, clearly stirred.

Kho Lon deftly jumped out the waggon and into the garden, just in front of Bilbo.

"It's good to see you again, Bilbo."

Descending from the top of her staff, Kho Lon hugged the old Hobbit.

"My, you look terrific, Bilbo!"

"You don't seen to have aged a day, Kho Lon!"

'As if it was possible', thought Ryouga, helping two dwarves to unload the waggon. 'She can't look any older than this!'

"Where have you found the boy this time? I was really afraid he wouldn't arrive in time!"

"I picked him up just south of Bywater Pool, in my way here."

"Come in, Kho Lon, do you want some tea?" asked Bilbo, entering his hobbit hole. 

"I would be delighted", answered Kho Lon, following the hobbit. Given her diminutive size, Bag End was very comfortable. Even in the top of her staff she didn't risk a violent encounter with the ceiling or one of the numerous support beams. She did have to hurry to direct the hobbit to the kitchen, instead of the office.

---

After the tea, the two friends were enjoying themselves, smoking and throwing smoke rings around. 

"So, Bilbo, have you changed your mind or you'll be leaving the Shire tomorrow night?" asked Kho Lon.

"Yes, I'm leaving tomorrow night. I really want to visit Erebor one more time."

"Have you told Ryouga about your plans?"

"Not yet," answered the hobbit, sighing. "I fear he won't take it well. I'll tell him after supper."

"He'll be torn between going with you and staying in the Shire," pointed Kho Lon.

"He wants to stay. I know it," said Bilbo. "He would join me if I asked, but I won't." Bilbo stopped for a moment, and asked Kho Lon, almost whispering: "Can you help him, Kho Lon?"

"I'm doing what I can, but I don't know if there's a cure for his condition," confessed the wizard.

"I feared as much," said the hobbit. "Will you help him while I'm gone? He'll need support."

"I'll, as often as possible. I trust your gardener's daughter will be interested in supporting him, too."

"Akari?" asked Bilbo, "she always helped Ryouga going where he wanted, or bringing him back. I'm sure she'll be there to help him. She's the kindest hobbit I know and I think they like each other. I'll miss seeing the two together." Blowing a particularly well done smoke ring, Bilbo laughed. "Poor Ryouga thinks his life is much worse than it really is."

"Yes, this is a part of his problems."

"But enough of that! Tomorrow we will have a party the Shire won't forget easily."

---

Ryouga was saddened but not surprised when Bilbo told him his plans. He knew his uncle was up to something given his behaviour in the last months. He was afraid he would begin to wander once again. 

Ryouga couldn't find any sleep that night. Pondering over and over if he should ask to join Bilbo or if he should stay in the Shire, deciding something only to go change his mind shortly after, until the day dawned. But the sun brought him no answer.

Only when Akari knocked at his door and called him to breakfast he finally decided what he would do.

---

Ryouga knew that his Uncle has invited almost all hobbits of the region but the crowd formed in the garden still surprised him. He was thanking the numerous compliments he was receiving for his own birthday halfheartedly, because his mind and heart were elsewhere.

Akari was getting worried about him. 'Why would he be so melancholic in his own birthday?' she wondered, 'his uncle is having a fantastic party and he's acting like this all day, what could be wrong?' 

The sun was already over the horizon, but clarity still lingered due the last rays of light touching the sky, and most of the hobbits were looking for good spots to watch the fireworks.

"Akari, would you like to sit in that table?" asked the lost boy. It was coded talk, of course. Even a straight line between the point they were and the table could trouble him, but to move among such huge crowd and still arrive there would be quite a feat for Ryouga. He was really asking Akari to help him get there before the beginning of the show. Being used to his directional sense (or lack thereof) didn't mean Ryouga wasn't embarrassed about it or that it was easy to him to ask for help in a task only he had trouble with. Akari knew it well and she didn't mind - she would hate to vex her friend. Both of them enjoyed each other company, so in overall it was a quite nice arrangement. 

The hobbits were all excited, notably the children. Few among them could remember the last time the wizard has displayed her work in the Shire. Kho Lon began by releasing a wave of sparkling white swans, which crossed the skies above Bag End to the delight of all. 

Intercalating small displays of orange butterflies, green singing birds, and shimmering clouds of yellow fireflies with displays that grabbed everyone's attention as they filled the firmament with light and sound, Kho Lon was slowly bringing the show to its surprising conclusion.

Ryouga didn't know the special surprise the wizard prepared for her old friend, but chances were very good he would have been taken by surprise anyway. During the spectacle his attention was pretty much divided between the sky and Akari's visage. The coloured light cast by Kho Lon's works was illuminating her face and her long and straight (which is rare among hobbits) chestnut hair for an instant before darkness covered them all again. But in each of these glimpses Ryouga saw how happy Akari was watching the fireworks and how much she was enjoying the party. In that moment, the felling of gloom that besieged his heart was pierced by Akari's shining eyes, and for the first time since the party started Ryouga felt like it was his birthday.

Ryouga broke out of his reverie when he saw her face contort, red, in fear. Screams of panic were being shouted throughout the party field, hobbits were running around or hiding beneath the tables. Only when Ryouga raised his head he saw what was frightening the hobbits – a red dragon was descending upon them as to release its deadly breath! Ryouga didn't stop to think about the absurdity of the situation, he threw himself over Akari to protect her, making both fall in the grassed ground. Cautiously raising his head, he noticed the dragon going away and exploding over Bywater. 

The frightened hobbits were trying to understand what have just happened when Bilbo, unfazed by the sudden appearance, called them to the supper. 

'Kho Lon! It was just a trick!' realized the hobbit. He also realized Akari was under him and his noses were separated only by a couple of inches. Raising as fast as he could and helping Akari regain her feet, the lost hobbit asked nervously:

"L-let join the others for supper, shall we?"

"S-sure, Ryouga."

The special dinner that took place in the main pavilion was reserved mostly for Bilbo's family, even if the relationship was distant and contact scarce. But a few friends were too invited to the event, like Kho Lon and Akari. The quality and the quantity (as important as the first to hobbits) of the repast surpassed the expectations of most, and the same could be said about the fine wine being served. After the plenteous dinner the humour of the hobbits was excellent, and soon they were asking Bilbo to make a speech.

As soon as the old hobbit got up in a barrel Ryouga noticed how he was toying with something in his pocket, and he was sure it was his magic ring. Bilbo has explained to him that he would play a trick on all the guests, but nothing he tried managed to convince the old hobbit to spill the details. It was obvious now he would disappear in front of them! Ryouga's mind was racing at the moment and he didn't notice the sudden silence that followed many cheers.

"Third and finally, I have an announcement..."

'That's it!' concluded Ryouga, 'he's going to do it!'

"... I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!"

And with this drastic declaration he vanished, in a flash of light and with a thunder-like noise that startled all the present, even Ryouga who was expecting the disappearance act. It took them some time to perceive Bilbo was playing some trick with them again. Some demanded explanations from Ryouga, some asked for more wine and some just left. No one seemed to have liked the old hobbit's last joke.

Ryouga had to stay – he promised to Bilbo he would remain in the party to act as host when he was gone. This was a difficult task for him, he knew Bilbo was leaving the Shire and it was possible to them never to meet again, and some of the guests were being very rude because of Bilbo's actions. He endured it for some time and then asked Akari if she wanted to go home.

Akari really wanted to stay a little longer, but she couldn't contain her curiosity. In the way to Bag End she would have the privacy needed to ask Ryouga what have happened, so she nodded.

After giving some orders to the cookers, they left the party, listening to the conversation and its only subject – Bilbo's disappearance. 

Only when they were alone Akari asked about it.

"He's gone. He wanted to wander again," answered Ryouga, sullenly. 

Akari felt the distress in his voice and reacted by holding his friend's hand and squeezing it, as they walked the last few paces to Bag End's frontal door. 

---

Wishing a good night to Akari, Ryouga entered home hoping to find Bilbo still there. He headed to the main living room, which he found in the very good time of half an hour. But the only person in there was Kho Lon, in the top of her staff in front of the fire and clearly thinking about something very serious, given how furrowed her forehead was.

"Yes, he left already, child," said Kho Lon before he could ask anything. "I brought him here after his little show. He joined some dwarves who were heading back to the Lonely Mountain. He won't get lost for a while, at least."

Ryouga sighed. It was clear Bilbo didn't want to say good-bye for a second time. Perhaps it was for the best.

"Here, Ryouga," said the wizard, handing him some papers, "Bilbo left you Bag End. He also left you his ring. It's in an envelope on the mantelpiece."

"The ring!" exclaimed Ryouga, surprised, "he was very possessive of it, he wouldn't even let me touch it!"

"Is that true, child?"

"Yes, he would get angry if I even asked him to."

Kho Lon frowned, and gazed at his eyes seriously, placing her staff in the hobbit's right shoulder. "Don't use it, Ryouga, and keep it secret."

The advice puzzled the boy. "Why not, Kho Lon? Is it dangerous?"

"It may be. I'm not sure yet, but I intend to find out. Actually, I plan to leave tonight to search for some answers."

"Tonight?" exclaimed the hobbit, "I thought you would stay here for at least a week, I thought we were going to spar!"

"It won't be possible now, child," said Kho Lon, producing a scroll from his robes, "but here! Have this. It'll help you to train in your cursed body."

"I don't want it!" said Ryouga with indignation.

"Perhaps not, child, but you need it. Your uncle said water would get out of its way just to get you wet. You must be ready in either form."

Ryouga sighed again. It was the truth. It was amazing how many times he would get wet due the strangest accidents. He was beginning to believe the curse had a will of its own. He didn't know for how longer he would manage to keep it a secret from Akari and the others. Reluctantly he took the scroll.

"I'm going now. Remember Ryouga: keep it secret, keep it safe and don't use it!" 

After saying this, Kho Lon climbed her staff and used it to slip out of the hobbit hole, in her very characteristic way of moving.

Ryouga sat in the dark for a few minutes. He was all alone again. He found little comfort in being master of Bag End and having a magic ring. To him Middle-earth was a dark and lonely place. 

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Author's notes: As far as this fanfic is concerned, elven ears are very prominent and quite distinct features. Think Record of Lodoss War's Deedlit. 

Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and prevents me from copying Burgerbill's pleas for R&R. 

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V. 1.1 (25-II-2003)

By Fangorn (fangorn_ff@terra.com.br)


	3. Two Rangers

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, their characters and concepts belong to Rumiko Takahashi and those enterprises to whom she has given publishing rights. The Lord of the Rings, their characters and concepts belong to Tolkien Estate and those enterprises to whom such rights were given. This work does not intend to infringe upon those rights, nor is it intended to commercial use. 

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The Lord of the Curses

Chapter 2

Two Rangers

Kho Lon was worried.

'How could I have been so blind?' she berated herself and not for the first time, 'all the signs were right in front of my eyes and I couldn't see them.'

Kho Lon was pushing her horse hard, she needed to reach Bree before nightfall and hope that Genma and Ranma were still there. 

'Gollum! Of all creatures in Middle-earth, this one may hold the answer to this ring puzzle,' thought the wizard. 'And I need someone to track him down and capture him while I travel to Minas Tirith to research what I can about the ring in the old library. Can I trust Genma to this task? He's a great tracker and huntsman, but unreliable, at best,' frowned Kho Lon. 'And how to convince him to do it?'

Pondering over all she knew about the ring-lore and burdened with all the problems of Middle-earth in her shoulders, Kho Lon barely noticed she was about to reach her destination.

---

The gate was closed. Kho Lon was expecting that, but she was saddened all the same. It was a clear sign of dangerous times. Rumours of fell creatures abroad, talks of war and even darker things have reached Bree. At least the town has a little measure of safety inside the walls, as well as the three nearby villages that formed the Bree-land. More important, she knew the gatekeeper wouldn't object her entry, no matter the time.

Kho Lon left her horse in the stables so the poor beast could get a well deserved rest and went straight to the Prancing Pony Inn, doing her best to avoid the tiny rain who made her company in the last hour of her ride. The first person she met was the Inn's owner, Barliman Butterbur, somewhat surprised with the encounter.

"Kho Lon! Back already? What can I do you for you? A room? Supper?"

"Yes, yes, but I'll first warm my old bones in the common room, by the fire."

"I guess you'll want supper in your room, the common room is almost empty tonight."

Kho Lon's heart sank. She really needed to find Genma here, and the chances were pretty slim right now. But the promise of heat alone would make her try the common room. 

Barliman wasn't exaggerating, the room was almost empty, but in a dark corner Kho Lon saw a familiar ranger and another cloaked person, much to her relief. Kho Lon didn't wait for an invitation to join them.

The ranger was Genma, there was no doubt about that. He was big and heavily built, and didn't have a single hair in his head, which was covered by a kerchief. 'The other person must be his son Ranma', thought Kho Lon, wondering why he was hiding himself. They were arguing about something and they didn't see Kho Lon coming until she was practically over them.

"Old Ghoul!" exclaimed the person beneath the hood, in a soprano voice. Kho Lon realized now why Ranma was hooded indoors. She was trying to hide her cursed body, even in a nearly empty room. It was obvious Ranma was having a very hard time getting used to the curse. 'Well, changing both gender and race must be an unpleasant experience,' thought the wizard. Kho Lon sighed as she replied the 'greeting' with a swift staff strike against the girl's head.

"Ow!"

"Show more respect to the elder, boy!" scowled Genma. "She must be here because she wanted to see us, that means she must have news regarding our curses."

Ranma immediately turned her head to Kho Lon, giving her undivided attention to the wizard.

"I'm afraid that's not the reason why I've come here tonight. I have not found any possible cures for you two."

The rangers sighed.

"But... there must be a way out of this!" said Ranma, her voice carrying a hint of desperation.

"Shut up, boy!" yelled Genma. "Stop complaining like a girl!"

"You shut up old man! 'Twas your stupid idea to go to Fornost!" Ranma snapped at her father. "You only wanted to plunder what you could find in the ruins, sayin' we needed a desert place to train a stupid technique you've created!"

"The place *was* desert and we needed it that way to train!" answered Genma, raising his voice even more, without bothering to deny his scavenging plans. "The Taen-i-Meneguir is very destructive!"

Ranma snorted, doubting such technique even existed. "And now we know *why* the place is deserted."

"Ungrateful brat! I should have kept the Taen-i-Meneguir sealed, I think I will!" growled the older ranger, assuming an offensive stance.

Father and son were about to exchange blows in the very spot they were sitting. Kho Lon frowned at the situation and at the possible outcome. Deciding not to allow this fight to go any further, she stood in her seat.

"ENOUGH! I have not ridden day and night for this nonsense!" shouted Kho Lon with a commanding tone, one that left no room whatsoever for dissent. The rangers backpedalled as far as they could from the hobbit-sized wizard, now looking several feet taller and very menacing. The very shadow she cast looked larger than it normally would be and the fire of the common room seemed distant and frail. 

"W-what was that?" asked Ranma to his father under her breath, still shivering from the sudden outburst. 

"Soun has a similar technique," was all he could say, his eyes wide open in stupor, trembling as much as his son. The argument that almost came to blows was completely forgotten.

Kho Lon diminished to her normal size, the aura of terrible power gone, but her eyes were still flashing.

"Well, Kho Lon, if you were looking for us not to discuss our problems, why then?" asked Genma, with all the dignity he could muster in this awkward situation.

"Problems of my own. There's a creature I need you to capture."

Kho Lon recounted Bilbo's adventures in the depths of the Misty Mountains in great detail. Genma knew the story of the Hobbit burglar that aided Thorin Oakshield to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, but it was new to Ranma.

"A strange creature," commented Genma after Kho Lon has finished the story. "Why do you want him?"

"Answers. Answers I direly need, answers only Gollum can give me."

"The trail is old. Too old if you ask me. It may be impossible to find this creature-Gollum, if he had left the mountain," pondered Genma.

"He had. I am sure of that," pointed the wizard.

"Why do you need our help, Kho Lon?" asked Ranma, bored with the conversation. "You have the skills to do it yourself, don't you?"

"Maybe. As your father said, the trail is most certainly old. I need a ranger to track him, and as soon as possible. And the reason I'm not doing the hunt myself is that I'm needed elsewhere. I'll leave Bree tomorrow and travel to Minas Tirith."

"I wish I could go to the white city," murmured Ranma, thinking aloud without noticing it.

"Our place is in the north, boy. At least for now," Genma answered his son, a stern look in his face. Turning to the old wizard he said: "I'm afraid you are not the only one pressed by time. The boy and I have to go to Rivendell to settle a family business."

Ranma was puzzled. He knew nothing of it. Either his father was lying, and that wasn't a rare event, or there was something he didn't want to tell him – probably until there was nothing he could do to prevent it – which wasn't an uncommon occurrence either. He was sure, though, that trouble would come of it, one way or another. It always did.

Kho Lon sighed. She doubted it would be easy to make Genma capture Gollum, but she believed a little bribery would be enough to convince him. Now the matter was much more complicated and the only option left open to her at the moment was a veiled threat. She didn't want to use it, but perhaps it was for the best – a threatened Genma was more reliable than a paid Genma.

"You are aware that if I have to chase Gollum myself I'll pass through Lothlórien, do you?" asked Kho Lon, smirking. "You can be sure the lady of the Galadhrim will ask of you... and your daughter."

Ranma was about to complain, but the pallid face of her father stopped her. She frowned. 'What about the golden forest could scare him like this,' wondered the hooded elven girl, apprehensive of the answer. 'We visited 'em before and we were well received, somethin' that never happened here. Pops must have done somethin' really stupid,' she concluded.

Kho Lon was still smirking, gazing the blood deprived ranger and waiting for his move.

"You wouldn't..." he replied slowly.

"Lie? Of course not."

The older ranger composed himself and said: "Well, if Kho Lon the Grey says she need our help, it must be of uttermost importance. We'll leave before sunrise, boy."

"I need Ranma here, Genma."

Genma cursed mentally. He would have much more work to do if he went alone. He was now used to rely on Ranma for several menial tasks that made 'good training', or so he told his son. Besides, it would be a really good opportunity for some real training.

"That can't be, Kho Lon. I must train the boy," he said, with little hope of actually changing the wizard's mind – her stubbornness was well known and she did have the upper hand.

Kho Lon has anticipated this. "Training? I think I can compensate that. I can start some training right now that would make Ranma busy for quite some time." 

The promise caught Ranma's attention. While her father teaching methods were unusual and often brutal, they were very effective, for the most part. But after ten years of continuous drilling she felt there was little else he could teach her now, unless these sealed techniques were real. Some variation may be in order, and if the wizard's skill were at least as half as high as she has heard, it would be well worth the time to learn whatever she intended to teach her.

Genma was also happy by the prospect, but he decided not to show it, frowning instead. "I see. As long as you don't go easy on the boy, I don't see a problem. Now, what you want me to do with this creature once I have him?"

"Bring him to the Wood-elves of Mirkwood. They will take care of him until I can question him myself."

Genma's frown was genuine this time. He would rather not have any contact the Wood-elves and their crazy laws if he could help it. "Are you sure that's the best option?" he asked.

"Well, you can carry him to Lothlórien instead," replied the wizard, smirking again.

"Very well. I'll take him to the Wood-elves. A good night for you, Kho Lon," Genma said as he raised. Kho Lon threw him something he almost failed to catch before it could hit him in the nose. "This will help you," she said. The older ranger was extremely satisfied when he found some gold coins inside a small sack.

Kho Lon decided to have supper in the common room. There was much she needed to discuss with Ranma, but why do it with an empty stomach? Ranma took the chance and asked Barliman a kettle of hot water. The man was back quickly and as soon as he has left them, Ranma splashed herself, reclaiming her manhood. The now male boy took off his cloak and waited the wizard to finish her meal.

"So Kho Lon, what do you need me for?" he asked, unable to wait anymore.

The wizard gazed him for an instant. His upbringing had many flaws, it was clear, but she enjoyed the boy's bluntness. After all these years labouring against the shadow she had almost no patience left to deal with people who liked to beat around the bush. "The vigilance around the Shire must be tightened."

Ranma looked down at the wizard. "It will. It's our duty to protect 'em," he said. Kho Lon was somewhat surprised with the sudden seriousness of his voice and the steel in his eyes, an all different behaviour from the arrogant boy (or girl) he displayed so far. She realized how importantly he considered his duty and the multiple levels of it. Duty as a martial artist to protect the weak, duty as a Dúnedan of Arnor to defend the realm and, above all, the duty of a direct descendent of Elendil of the west, the duty of a King toward his people. Kho Lon knew his father kept his heritage a secret until recently, but she wasn't sure how the boy was reacting to it. 

"But that's no reason to keep me here," he concluded. "Not that I would complain about gettin' away from pops for some time." 

Kho Lon cackled. The arrogant boy was back. "I am not giving you a holiday, child."

"I guess not. So, why do ya need *me* here?"

"Very well. Bilbo found an artefact in the Misty Mountains, a magic ring I'm investigating. Bilbo gave the ring to his nephew and heir, Ryouga, before leaving the Shire. I need you to watch over him while I am away. Ryouga is like his uncle, he gets lost very easily, so you must watch him closely. Even a ranger like you would have problems to track him down, I believe. You must not allow him the chance of getting lost," she stopped for a moment, reaching for the kettle Ranma used, so she could make some tea.

"Great, so I'll have to baby-sit a hobbit," Ranma said, rolling his eyes.

Kho Lon considered hitting the boy again, but she had a much better way to assure his solicitude – guilt. "He is the same hobbit you have recklessly knocked down in a spring on the day you became cursed."

Ranma looked down. He did feel guilt about it. He was so outraged with his father that day, he focused only on one thing – to beat him to a pulp. In fact, he could barely remember anything after the brief sparring he had with his father, when he had thrown him in one of the many springs. He was shocked when a bear came out of the spring where his father was and he was completely unable to offer any resistance when the bear raised his massive paw and thrust him in another spring. 

The cold water snapped him out of it and he jumped out of the spring, ready to resume the fight, almost to fall again upon landing. Something was.. off. His center of gravity was dislocated, his balance was unsteady and all his body felt... wrong. He looked at the bear who seemed to be paralysed, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, but still in a fighting stance. Then he noticed how perfect his eyesight was and how well he was listening to the sounds of the nearby wood. He tried to speak with the bear, as silly as the action could seem, and he couldn't recognise his own voice. Only then he looked down at himself. And there they were. Breasts. The scream she unleashed made all birds in a mile wide radius arise and fly away. After that his memory was just a blur.

Kho Lon has told him in this same place that, in his folly, he had knocked another person in a cursed spring. A hobbit. He caused the same suffering to another person, someone he didn't even know, an innocent bystander. At least he hadn't endured two months believing the change was permanent, like him and his father. Hot water is hard to come by in the wild and only by accident they found out how to return to their natural bodies.

How could he make any amends? He only managed to forgive his own father after weeks of brooding. He looked up again. Perhaps a chance to attain forgiveness would present itself while he kept his silent vigil.

"If anything strange happens," continued the wizard, satisfied with the boy's reactions, "I want you to bring Ryouga to Rivendell, as fast as you can. Make sure he has the ring with him and be careful not to lose him from sight."

Ranma nodded. He had his doubts about how bad the hobbit's sense of direction was, but Kho Lon was so vehement about it he decided to accept it and check it out later.

"Will he trust me after what happened?"

"He will, if I tell him to. He doesn't know the elven girl is a cursed person as well. If it comes to that, introduce yourself with your normal body. He will react poorly if you come to him in your cursed body," seeing the boy raise an eyebrow, she pointed out, "he's a martial artist, too." 

That was a surprise to him, he never expected to find a hobbit practicing the Art. 

"Yes, child," she said, before he could talk, "even when you have lived as long as I have, hobbits may yet surprise you. One of the reasons I'm so fond of them," pushing her dish away, Kho Lon started to smoke, as she usually did after a well deserved meal. 

"What special about this ring? It seems a lotta trouble just because of it."

Kho Lon stopped smoking. She didn't want to tell any of her suspicions, not now, anyway. However, there was no way she could avoid to answer the question. At least Genma wasn't here. She looked around, making sure no one was overhearing the conversation. 

"I have reasons to believe this ring may be a Ring of Power," lowering her voice to a barely audible whisper, "it may be the One Ring."

Ranma opened his mouth and closed it several times before regaining rational speech. At last he managed to mutter: "No... way. How... when... what?"

"Now, child, you know the urgency of our work here. Don't tell anyone, not even your father, unless you have to. And whatever you do, do not try to take the ring, it will corrupt you." 

Ranma nodded, recovering from mental numbness in record time. "The hobbits know about it?"

"Bilbo didn't suspect it, nor does Ryouga now. All he knows is that the ring may be dangerous and that he should not use it. There is too much at stake here. The fate of all Middle-earth may be in our hands. We cannot fail."

"We won't." 

Kho Lon smiled, as she was graced with another glimpse of the King the boy might one day become.

"Now, what about that training?"

'Always to the point,' she thought. "Ryouga said the curse made him prone to water accidents. Is it the same to you, child?"

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it. I just got one here. Almost no one around and I got splashed with water anyway. At least pops didn't get hit. That would mean trouble."

"I can see the commotion a bear would cause here."

"Pops thinks it's raining more now. Damn, can't say he got crazy, it looks like even rain is tryin' to hit us."

"I see. Ryouga didn't want to train with his other body, but I forced him to. After all, if the changes are so frequent, they may happen even in the middle of a fight. And you, child?"

"Feh! My girl body is smaller and weaker, just that. I can adapt pretty quick and there ain't nothin' I can't do with this body, so why bother?"

"Is that so, child?"

"Yeah. Sure, my senses are better, but that only helps with the bow. In a close fight it ain't much. My old man used his curse once to beat a troll, but being a martial artist bear does help sometimes."

Kho Lon nodded. "Well, child, go join your father now. And don't be late tomorrow, or I'll leave you behind. Meet me at the stables."

"I'll be there," he replied, putting his cloak on again and leaving the wizard alone. 

Kho Lon resumed smoking. 'He's blind if he thinks there are no advantages in his curse. His arrogance won't allow him to accept them,' she thought. 'I'll have to force him to open his eyes. I just need to make him desperate enough to use his curse. Hummm... a technique only an elf could master.'

The venerable looking wizard was concentrating very hard. Wading through many millennia worth of knowledge in the Art, in search for something adequate, Kho Lon found a special move she learned in her youth in the west. She smiled at the memory. Tulkas himself had taught her, the very creator of the Art and its Code. 

Tulkas was the mightiest of the Valar in prowess, and had always refused to use weapons, fighting only with his arms and legs. In the first struggle against Melkor, in the dawn of Arda, the Valar would have been defeated, but Tulkas appeared and Melkor fled to his stronghold in the north, Utumno. 

Tulkas broke the gates of the fortress and in its deepest pit they fought in single combat. Melkor was overthrown and held captive. In the peaceful age that followed his incarceration, Tulkas taught others how to fight like him. Among the elves, the Noldor were craftier in the Art and they added what Oromë has taught them about the wielding of weapons. When the Noldor returned to Middle-earth to wage war against Morgoth to recover the Silmarils they taught the Art to the Sindar, the Nandor and Men. 

The technique was chosen but Kho Lon still lacked the proper motivation. Looking out a nearby window, she saw a lonely star twinkle, in a rare breach amongst the heavy rain clouds that covered the sky. 'Yes, that will do just fine,' she thought. Thanking Varda for the unexpected inspiration, she started the last task left for the night – to write a letter.

---

The Prancing Pony Inn, Bree. September the 29th, 1401 by the Shire-reckoning.

Dear Ryouga,

I'm leaving today to a long journey. If anything happens before my return, a friend of mine will contact you and take you to Rivendell. His name is Ranma and he knows about our business. He's a medium height young man, with long black hair kept in a pigtail. His eyes are blue-grey. 

Kho Lon

P.S. Don't use it!

--- 

Kho Lon sealed the letter with her sigil and gave it to Barliman, who was passing by. She asked him to sent it to Hobbiton the first thing in the morning, then she went to her room.

But Barliman couldn't find anyone to deliver the letter in the following day, neither in the day after, and soon he forgot about it.

---

Kho Lon was saddling her horse when Ranma entered the stables. "Good, child, you are here. Help me here, please?"

With the horse saddled, Kho Lon positioned herself in front of Ranma. "The training is very simple, child..." And before she ended the last word she darted in his direction.

Ranma was taken by surprise. Before he could react the withered wizard was in front of him, the point of her gnarled staff caressing a certain place of his chest for a second, then she raised her staff hard. 

Still confused with the wizard's act, Ranma went to a loose defensive stance, and waited for her next move. Meanwhile, Kho Lon has returned to the place she was.

"...all you have to do is take this pretty jewel back," she finished, cackling.

Ranma froze. A small gem of white elven crystal set on a fillet of silver glinted in the center of her forehead. He immediately reached for his pocket and found nothing. Seething, Ranma attacked the wizard.

"Give that back! It was mother's!" he yelled, doing his best to grab Kho Lon. But she was fast, too fast to him. She wasn't trying to hit back, all she was doing was dodging. They stayed quite some time in this catch game, but Ranma couldn't even get close to her, she was always one step ahead of him. Finally, he overextended himself trying to get a hold of the mercurial wizard and Kho Lon used her staff again to hit his ankle, making him trip and sending him straight to a pool of water formed by yesterday's rain.

If Ranma noticed her transformation, she gave no sign of it. She was up in an instant and moving against the wizard with renewed fury. 

Whether she was willing to acknowledge the superiority of her cursed body speed or not, the red blur Kho Lon kept fending was more than enough proof of that. But the relentless assault was beginning to take its toll on the wizard. Ranma was getting much closer to her objective now. 

Twice was Kho Lon obliged to parry a lighting quick thrust against her head she couldn't dodge and when she was going to do it for a third time Ranma surprised her with a snap kick that took the staff out of her hands and sent it spinning against the stables walls and well out of her reach. Both contenders took a few steps back, allowing some distance between them. Ranma was making sure the almost ethereal wizard couldn't try to reclaim that damned staff and Kho Lon was just waiting for him in a casual pose, arms crossed and hidden in the sleeves of her robe. 

"I don't have an idea of what this was about, but it ends now," Ranma said, still boiling in anger from the theft of the jewel. "Give it back, NOW!" and she jumped at the diminutive wizard. 

"It does indeed," she calmly replied. 

Ranma was about to catch her prey when the wizard shouted:

"Paur ed Lach!" 

And the wizard's fists began to move faster than Ranma could see. Her arms were being pounded by countless strikes. Before she could even scream in pain a twin open palm blow against her shoulders sent her flying against the stables main support beam. With a sickly thud, she fell in the muddy ground.

The heat Ranma was felling in her badly bruised arms was a promise of the pain that would follow, which would make a nice company to the pain she was already felling in her back. Throughout defeated and still puzzled by the wizard's actions, Ranma did her best to calm down.

"Are you well, child?" asked the wizard, who has moved near the fallen elven girl.

Ranma only groaned in response. As much as she wanted to put her hands in the small wizard's throat, the fact was she felt her arms were made of lead. Moving them now would require an extraordinary feat of will, one she would pay dearly for in a later moment and, most probably, would be futile anyway. So she didn't resist when Kho Lon began to press several points of her left arm.

"Hold still, this will take only an instant," she said. Satisfied with her work on the girl's left arm, she proceeded to the right one. 

"There child. They will remain numb for the next couple of hours, and sore for the rest of the day, and possibly on the next day as well, but there won't be any pain."

Ranma was glad. They were dumb right now, and dumbness were much better than pain in her book and the soreness that would follow couldn't be avoided by any means she knew. She wouldn't show any kind of appreciation for that, though. All she did was mutter an undignified grunt instead.

Kho Lon lit some logs she has prepared earlier that morning and promptly dropped several chestnuts in the middle of the fire. "Now, child, pay attention," and then her hands blurred like they did before, much to Ranma astonishment. Kho Lon was moving so fast that she could take the chestnuts off the fire without hurting herself. 

Ranma realized she must have been hit hundreds of times instead of the few dozens she has previously estimated. The speed of such technique was truly fabulous. 

"You want one?" Kho Lon asked, cackling. Before Ranma could answer a recently roasted chestnut went flying to her month, which must have stayed open during the demonstration. She got one herself and she carefully packed the rest of them for her travel. Truth to be told, the old wizard favoured this specific method for no better reason than a great fondness for roasted chestnuts.

"If you want to take this beautiful gem back, you'll have to use the same move I've just used. It's a very old and hard to master technique. Be glad I'm not using the same methods my old master used to teach me. And don't you worry, I'll keep it safe until we meet again."

Kho Lon went to her horse and, with a effortless jump, she mounted him. Taking the bridles and turning the horse toward the door, she spoke with Ranma one last time.

"Take good care of Ryouga, child. And don't waste your time trying to master the Paur ed Lach in your normal body. This is a work for an elf," with that she rode off.

An hour has passed and Ranma was still resting against the support beam. She had a lot to digest. At least her father had already left, else he would reprimand her to no end for losing Elendilmir, even momentarily. She got up and left the stables. She had a hobbit to watch and a technique to learn. She would begin her journey to Hobbiton as soon as she could find some hot water. 

------

Author's notes: The first thing Tolkien wrote in his forewords is that LotR had grown in telling. So did this chapter. At first I've planned to make the meeting of Kho Lon with Ranma and Genma just an introduction to the next chapter, but soon it became too huge in comparison with the chapter it was supposed to herald. So I decided to make this a brand new one. 

It was brought to my attention I have the option not to accept anonymous reviews marked. Sorry about that! Please review my story, the comments are really a great aid.

Next on The Lord of the Curses, The Shadow of the Past. Until then, namárië!

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Special thanks to Andromedos, who joined the pre-reading crew.

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V. 1.1 (12-III-2003)

By Fangorn (fangorn_ff@terra.com.br)


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